Booker, Lonegan set to face off in first televised debate

The first televised U.S. Senate debate between Democrat Cory Booker and Republican Steve Lonegan will be held later today in ABC's television studio in Trenton.

The debate will be streamed live online today at 1 p.m. and broadcast at 11 a.m. Sunday on ABC-affiliates in the New York and Philadelphia markets.

It will be just one of two chances for voters to see the Newark mayor and ex-Bogota mayor spar before an upcoming Oct. 16 special election. The second debate is scheduled for Oct. 9 at Rowan University.

Booker and Lonegan are competing to fill the longtime seat held by Frank Lautenberg, who died in June of pneumonia at age 89. Tapped by Gov. Chris Christie to serve as acting Senator, former state attorney general Jeff Chiesa is temporarily filling the role but has said he will not seek the office permanently.

Figures from a Monmouth University Poll released Tuesday show Booker holding a 13-point advantage over Lonegan, down slightly from previous 16-point margins seen over the summer.